VMware Cloud Community
jurajb
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

SCSI adapter 1.3.18.0 update in 2012R2 broke it

I ran automatic updates on our DEV fleet and some came back, some went into 'Automatic repair' loop.

Suspicion is on this update as I ran normal Windows updates yesterday on another server and it was fine. Today I installed this single update, reboot and no cigar.

How do I go about restoring it? I tried recovery disk but command prompt can't see the drives. Bitlocker also doesn't seem to be able to locate them.

Is there any way to restore?

Warning to others: don't install the update without having a snapshot in place

Reply
0 Kudos
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
jurajb
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Thanks all. When I posted it yesterday there was nothing on reddit yet. I've worked with Microsoft and was able to resolve it as well. Here's a simpler step-by-step

1. Download latest VMware tools, unzip, upload ISO to your data store and mount it to the impacted server

2. Load the driver

 

cd "D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\Drivers\pvscsi\Win8\amd64"
drvload pvscsi.inf​

 

3. Unlock your bitlockered drive using password (if unlocked, skip this step)

 

manage-bde -unlock c: -pw​ 
REM could be e: drive as well. you can confirm using diskpart

 

4. Replace the broken pvscsi driver

 

cd "D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\Drivers\pvscsi\Win8\amd64"
dism /image:E:\ /add-driver /driver:pvscsi.inf

 

5. Reboot

 

View solution in original post

Reply
0 Kudos
6 Replies
iwayCR
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Hello

I feel you - a couple of our Windows 2012R2 servers were gone as well....

Fix ist ease though (once you know it!)

Boot with F8 und choose "Disable Driver Signature Enforcement"

Now if Windows is running again, just go into device manager, look for the PVSCSI adapter and make a driver rollback.

 

Seems like Microsoft already pulled that driver again?

I no long get it when I search for Windows updates.

VessE
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Had the same issue, I had to restore couple of servers from a Nimble snapshot taken before patch Tuesday. I determined it was the VMWare SCSI driver for the paravirtual SCSI controller that was causing it. Today I could not reproduce the issue, so I opened a case with VMWare. Here is their reply: 

 

This issue is due to a known issue with the pvscsi driver pushed via the update from microsoft

This version of pvscsi driver 1.3.18.0 included and signed by Microsoft and installed by Windows Update, can't be loaded by Windows after Windows reboots due to signing certificate issue. It is now pulled off from Windows Update, we are working with Microsoft on this issue.

please refer below articles as a reference

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/ESXi-Discussions/SCSI-adapter-1-3-18-0-update-in-2012R2-broke-it/t...

https://community.veeam.com/discussion-boards-66/warning-windows-update-breaking-windows-server-2012...

workaround:

the below article has been tested in our test environments and can be used for now as a workaround in case you are planning to patch

https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/q872w6/server_2012_r2_on_esxi_70_nonaccessible_boot/ [red...

Note: we are working on an official KB from our side to have this addressed as well

jurajb
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Thanks all. When I posted it yesterday there was nothing on reddit yet. I've worked with Microsoft and was able to resolve it as well. Here's a simpler step-by-step

1. Download latest VMware tools, unzip, upload ISO to your data store and mount it to the impacted server

2. Load the driver

 

cd "D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\Drivers\pvscsi\Win8\amd64"
drvload pvscsi.inf​

 

3. Unlock your bitlockered drive using password (if unlocked, skip this step)

 

manage-bde -unlock c: -pw​ 
REM could be e: drive as well. you can confirm using diskpart

 

4. Replace the broken pvscsi driver

 

cd "D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\Drivers\pvscsi\Win8\amd64"
dism /image:E:\ /add-driver /driver:pvscsi.inf

 

5. Reboot

 

Reply
0 Kudos
Srijithk
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

a kb has also been published by VMware

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/86053?lang=en_US

Thanks,

Stream2back
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

What i want to know is why Microsoft is updating Vmware drivers through Windows update ? Does anyone know. I thought i had control through Vmware tools update.

Reply
0 Kudos